Cessna 182 accident near Eureka, California, September 30, 1989
On September 30, 1989 at about 1:30 am local time, a Cessna 182, registered N96642, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eureka, California (Eureka Muni airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER FLARE BY THE STUDENT, AND A DELAY IN REMEDIAL ACTION BY THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 30, 1989 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Eureka, California · Eureka Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N96642 · registry record · serial 18266791
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
TWO CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS (CFI'S) WERE ABOARD THE ACFT WITH ONE CFI ACTING AS PIC, GIVING INSTRUCTION TO THE OTHER IN SHORT FIELD TAKEOFFS & LANDINGS. THE PIC RPRTD THAT WHILE ON A SHORT FINAL APCH TO LAND, HE NOTICED THAT THE DSCNT RATE WAS BECOMING EXCESSIVE. HE TOLD THE OTHER PLT TO APPLY POWER, BUT SHE DID NOT RESPOND IN TIME & THE ACFT LANDED HARD. THE PIC SAID THAT HE COULD HAVE PREVENTED THE ACDNT, IF HE HAD NOT DELAYED IN TAKING REMEDIAL ACTION.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,290 hours in all; 173 in this make and model; 295 in the last 90 days; 84 in the last 30 days; 2,193 as pilot in command; 1,526 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Nothern Air
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 2,700 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Other NTSB records under N96642 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX89LA332.